Community Corner
Speak Out: To Vaccinate or Not to Vaccinate?
Whooping cough is on the rise in Gwinnett. Will you get a booster shot? Tell us why or why not.

, with 95 cases reported in metro Atlanta alone. Â
Whooping cough can be deadly, especially for infants and the elderly, or those whose immune system is compromised.  As of mid-July, nine children have died from it, according to the CDC.
The vaccine, which was changed in the mid-1990s, may not be as effective as it should be, the CDC confirmed. Â Still, adults and children alike are being urged to get a booster shot.Â
Find out what's happening in Snellvillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
One Snellville mom asked on Facebook, "if whooping cough is part of childhood immunization, and most kids were immunized...why is there an outbreak? How is it getting worse if the vaccination prevents it? Just curious. I know its part of the standard infant vaccination package."
Lisa Mestas, an RN and Family Nurse Practitioner student at University of Georgia, had a different reaction:
Find out what's happening in Snellvillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
"Please get immunized! I know many people are ideologically against it, but can you imagine your child coughing uncontrollably and can barely breathe and could possibly die because of your belief?"Â
Will you get a booster shot? Â Are you "ideologically against" vaccinations? Â Tell us in the comments. Â
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.